But despite the oddness, she felt good as she pushed open the door and stepped back into the square. Lighter than she had since arriving.
The light outside filtered from the dome in golden shafts. Holly took a deep breath and headed for the pathway that led to the forest area she had glimpsed earlier.
The stone walkway gave way to packed dirt, and the buildings fell away behind her. Soon she was walking beneath a canopy of tall, beautiful trees. Here, the air was cleaner and fresher, scrubbed by the living things that surrounded her. It felt like home, somehow. Like the forest outside her parents’ house in Canada. She liked it.
Moss carpeted the ground in soft, green waves. Small plants with delicate fronds unfurled from the shadows between tree roots. The trees themselves were varied and strange. Some she recognized: oaks and maples and tall, white-barked birches. Others were clearly not from Earth. One had bark that spiraled up its trunk like a twisted ribbon. Another had leaves that glowed faintly blue at the edges. A third appeared to be coveredin soft, downy fur that rippled when she walked past, as if sensing her presence.
They all lived together in beautiful, wild array. Earth plants and alien species, coexisting beneath the dome.
Holly emerged into a clearing and found a garden area. Or what had once been a garden area. It was overgrown and dry, the soil cracked in places, some of the plants withered beyond saving. But parts of it were being maintained. Rows of vegetables struggled along in raised beds. Herbs grew in pots. And a section of tall, vertical-growing modules appeared vibrant, their trailing stems tipped with clusters of fruits and vegetables.
A woman stood at one of the vertical gardens, her back to Holly. She had bright orange hair pulled back in a messy knot, and she was picking large clumps of purple berries from the vines that cascaded down the module’s frame.
Holly approached with a smile, ready to introduce herself.
She was instantly surrounded by over a dozen small children.
Holly stopped in her tracks, her heart lurching. The children were no taller than mid-thigh on her. They had orange hair like their mother, and they were all exactly identical. Same round faces. Same wide eyes. Same eerily blank expressions. Holly couldn’t even tell if they were boys or girls. They had appeared out of nowhere, scurrying out from the undergrowth like a swarm, and now they stood in a perfect circle around her, staring up at her without blinking.
They moved as one. Perfectly in sync. As if they shared a single mind.
Holly did not move. She was afraid to breathe.
The mother turned, saw what was happening, and abruptly abandoned her berry-picking. She hurried over, waving her hands and calling out apologies as she came.
“Oh, no. No, no. Stop that now.” She sounded frazzled, her voice carrying the exhaustion of someone over-scheduled,overstimulated, and running on very little sleep. She waved at the children. “This lady isn’t a threat. Back away. You’re scaring her.”
The children did not seem to care who they were scaring. But they did move, flowing away from Holly to surround their mother instead. They continued staring at Holly with those blank, unblinking eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” the woman said, offering Holly a tired smile. “I’m Mish. These are my children. We’re Uvian, by the way.”
“Uvian,” Holly repeated. She had heard of them, vaguely. They looked a lot like humans, but their children were…different. “I’m Holly. Holly Greene-Moone. I’m the new owner of Moone’s Landing.”
“Oh, I know who you are.” Mish’s smile widened. She seemed friendly, despite her obvious exhaustion. “Everyone knows you’re here. Word travels fast when there’s only thirty-six of us.”
“Thirty-six,” Holly said. “So there really are thirty-six residents.”
“Yes, although fourteen of them are my kids.” Mish glanced down at her children, who had arranged themselves in a protective formation around her legs. “Uvian children share a hive mind until they reach a certain maturity level. Until then, they think and act as a single entity. One’s upset, they’re all upset.” She reached down and patted the nearest identical head. “Keeps me busy.”
“I can imagine.”Barely. It took work for Holly tonotappear unnerved.
As a synchronized group, the children took a step toward Holly.
Holly took a step back.
“They won’t hurt you,” Mish said quickly. “Unless they think you’re going to hurtme. Then, well.” She laughed, but it was anervous laugh. “They can be quite deadly, actually. But you seem nice. They’ll warm up to you eventually.”
Holly stared at the fourteen identical, “deadly” children who were staring back at her. Nope. This lot didnotneed to warm up to her. She’d be avoiding them when she could.
But she liked their mother. Mish had an easy smile and a warmth about her that felt genuine. And she was clearly doing her best to keep this garden alive, which was more than Holly could say for her grandfather.
“Are you the one maintaining all of this?” Holly asked, gesturing at the garden.
Mish sighed. “Trying to. The groundskeeper left about two years ago. A few of us have pitched in to keep things going, but it’s a lot of work. We really need a full-time person to tend to the forest and gardens.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “It’s our main food source, and you probably already know this, but the nutrient processors here are awful. Not as awful as what Cody cooks in the hotel lounge, but still. Not enjoyable.” She tilted her head. “How are you enjoying the berries? Luv asked that some fresh fruit be brought to the hotel for you. We have a few varieties that are producing well.”
“Ah, yes.” Holly smiled. “They’ve made hot porridge actually taste good.”
Mish laughed. “Nothing could make that taste good, but I’m content with edible.” Her expression sobered. “I’m hoping things will change now that you’re here. We’re worried about the future of this place.”
